I saw on the Kennedy Center's website that the Kirov will be visiting there in June 2006 with their Forsythe program and Giselle! Will they be visiting any other places in the US with this program, or should I brave the heat and humidity of DC in June to see this?

I was told that Vag. students wouldnt be there, but that Daria Vasnetsova and V. Shklyarov (?) would perform. I'm dying to hear what it was like. Did you attend all the sessions? Were they only performances or lectures also?

Catherine, I was at all four performances of the Proteges programs. I'm afraid that Daria Vasnetsova was embarrassingly weak (gawky, non-existent port-de-bras, constantly falling off pointe in turns & during her solo diagonal on pointe) but Vladimir Schklyarov was magnificent. At yesterday's final performance, the elegant Schklyarov substituted fouetes in place of the diagonal of back-cabrioles & brought down the house!

If a Proteges II ever materializes, I sincerely hope that actual Vaganova Academy students may attend and dance 'Paquita Children's Polonaise' or excerpts from their delightful version of 'Sylvia.' As it was, the 'Vaganova' segment of the program was one of the weakest.

'Proteges': Ballet Steps From the Past Into a Bright FutureBy Alexandra Tomalonis
Special to The Washington Post
Saturday, January 28, 2006; Page C01

Quote:

Ballet schools are the most private realm of the art form they serve; outsiders have a chance to see fledgling dancers perform once or twice a year at best. Six schools sharing a program is extraordinarily rare, but the Kennedy Center is giving Washingtonians that opportunity with "Proteges: The International Ballet Academy Festival," which opened Thursday night at the Opera House. It's a program everyone interested in ballet will want to see.

Thanks, corrival. As you see, Ms. Tomalonis' take on Vasnetsova and Shklyarov mirrors my - the entire knowledgeable audience's - sentiments. I'm still flabbergasted that his woman has a job with the Kirov-Mariinsky, let alone that she was put on a plane to DC to dance a solo in a prestigious program.

As a quick note....The Royal Danish Ballet brought company members to 'Proteges' as well.

My impression from reading reviews - newspaper and forum - was that the 'Vaganova' dancers were actually quite weak. But, to each his own - if we all liked the same dancer and the same dance, it would be a very boring world.

Fedora,
Yes I'm here! And wow, what a compliment, I dont think i've ever received such an accolade as that, thank you!

NataliaN & Fedora,
I agree with you both that since the program was one of SCHOOLS, they should have sent Vaganova students, not former graduates. It becomes more disappointing when those graduates aren't looking as professional as they should! (If you're going to send grads, then be VERY sure that critcism will be minimal!) I watched Vasnetsova in the corps of Bayadere last night (will provide review later). Here (as I'm sure you know), she doesnt dance soloist roles (rarely at best, and never a pas de deux!) Her arms are rather spindly, but the administration likes her a lot. Compared to Luibov (darnit her last name escapes me? Kuznetsova?) with whom she graduated, who is now being lost among the sea of corps dancers... It is interesting to see what happens to graduates of the same year after a year in the company...

I wanted to say I was sorry I couldnt see the performance, but it sounds from reviews as if Vasnetsova disappointed, which is too bad. She really DID shine in her actual graduation performance, which makes this all the more puzzling! Shklyarov is well loved here; recently dancing one of the two leads in all of the "Etudes" performances, the administration really tries to show him off in roles with "batterie" (bournonville style especially).

Any word on the cast for Washington D.C. and Orange County perrformances yet?

Individual tickets for the Kennedy Center Forsythes and Giselles go on sale next week and I'm really at a loss about which ones to get. Wish I could attend all of them, of course, but unfortunately it's very unlikely to happen.

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